This invention relates to transparency refinishers, in particular a device which automatically polishes and/or resurfaces aircraft transparencies and/or windows either while those transparencies are installed in the aircraft or after the transparencies have been removed from the aircraft. Aircraft transparencies become scratched and pitted over a period of time as they undergo normal utilization. When aircraft fly at high speeds, small particles or dust that are present in the air impact the transparencies resulting in scratching and pitting. Additionally, transparencies suffer from crazing and the breakdown of protective coatings on the transparencies making them appear opaque. Conventional procedures are to remove these scratched, pitted and/or opaque transparencies from the aircraft and replace them with new transparencies containing a new seal. This is a labor intensive, time-consuming and expensive process. Further, while the transparency is removed from the aircraft for replacement, the aircraft cannot be used.
Attempts have been made to automate the aircraft transparency polishing process, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,969,914, 5,964,645 and 6,645,048.
One object of this invention is to produce an aircraft transparency/window polisher and resurfacer that fully automates the polishing and resurfacing of aircraft transparencies while in the aircraft or after they have been removed from the aircraft. This object and other objects are disclosed by the inventions disclosed herein.